Allergies: Scratching the surface or going for the
cure?

Homeopathy is based on
the principle "like is cured by like", recognized in ancient times
by Hippocrates. Rediscovered by Samuel Hahnemann in the 1800's,
homeopathic treatment works with rather than against the body's
own natural healing abilities and efforts to regain health. A very
close similarity between the remedy and the symptoms of the disease
is the key to successful treatment. The ingredient in the homeopathic
remedy is given in an extremely dilute form so it does not cause
unwanted side effects. This allows for safe treatment of disease
by stimulating and accelerating the body's natural healing forces
without causing further problems or side effects.

Allergies are a
very common problem and many animals today suffer from them. Horses
are no exception. The preservatives in feeds, poor quality of feeds,
chemicals in medications, an unnatural environment, and the excessive
use of vaccines, antibiotics and cortisone-like drugs have all helped
to create severe allergy problems by causing an imbalance or weakness
in the body.

An allergy is nothing to sneeze at. It is an
abnormally intense reaction to things that are usually quite harmless
to the body such as fly bites, certain feeds, plant pollens, dust
or mold. Contrary to popular opinion, allergies are not caused by
an allergen; they are caused by the hypersensitive state of the
animal to the allergen. The allergen is just the trigger that sets
off the reaction. Allergies can be triggered by a variety of environmental
factors, and determining exactly what substances are causing an
allergic reaction can be difficult. Avoidance of the allergen can
provide relief, but not a cure; it just keeps the hypersensitivity
undisturbed. Symptoms such as respiratory irregularities, eye and
nasal discharges, skin problems, digestive problems, and even behavior
problems may indicate an allergy in a horse.

Dr. Scott Hosket, DVM, from Yellow Springs, Ohio,
explains, "Allergies are considered a disease in which the body
over-reacts to an outside stimulus. The horse's immune response
to an allergen (outside stimulus) is drastically overblown and out
of proportion to the original problem. For instance, horses are
bitten every day by gnats and flies. Some have no reactions at all.
Others have mild swelling and temporary pain and itching.

"A horse with an insect bite allergy will have
multiple, soft fluid-like swellings over a large part of its body,
not just at the bite itself. They then become firm hard nodules
that may last for weeks or months. The horse may be miserable, lethargic
and off his feed. This reaction is not considered normal by any
definition in a healthy horse. Allergies can occur from bedding
or material that comes into contact with the horse's skin causing
welts, rashes, blisters and/or itching. Many horses react to walnut
bark in the sawdust bedding this way. The allergic reaction can
be acute, or rapid in onset, or it can be chronic in nature and
long-lasting. Such long-acting allergies are more difficult to treat
and are indicative of a more deeply-seated disease within the individual
horse."

Allergies, or any disease symptoms, are viewed
in homeopathy as communication from the body that something is not
right. Homeopathy strives to keep that line of communication open
so that cure can be achieved. Too often, the signs of communication
are ignored, and one chooses a treatment that suppresses the symptoms,
which silences what the body is saying and closes off the communication.

Homeopathy listens. The symptoms are the clues
to the cure, and matching the symptoms to the remedy is the key.
Correctly chosen homeopathic remedies stimulate the body's life
force and immune system so that the body can heal itself.

Allergies indicate a malfunctioning immune system
and an underlying imbalance. Once established, a malfunctioning
immune system is a very difficult problem to correct. Successful
treatment can be accomplished through homeopathy but it may take
a long time, often as much as a year or more, depending on the situation.

Dr. Hosket emphasizes, "Holistically, and specifically
homeopathically, a veterinarian does not treat the disease itself.
A clinical diagnosis of allergic reaction is not of any value. The
homeopathic veterinarian looks at the entire animal and how the
whole body reacts. It is important to evaluate whether the clinical
signs are due to acute disease or to chronic disease. Acute diseases
respond quickly to a cure when the correct remedy, or similimum,
is given. Chronic disease indicates a much deeper disease within
the animal and may require several remedies over time to reach a
cure."

Corticosteroids (anti-itch shots and allergy
pills) effectively suppress symptoms like inflammation and itching,
but will not cure. A natural approach is very promising, yet it
may not work well if the animal is on continued cortisone therapy.
Such drugs become part of the problem when used continually without
addressing the cause of the condition. Also, animals with allergies
do not respond well to vaccination, and it may accelerate the intensity
and frequency of allergy symptoms.

The use of allergen injections and desensitization
shots (giving small doses of an allergen to help the body's defenses
desensitize the person to larger amounts of a particular allergen)
is homeopathic-like, but uses the law of sames, or isopathy.
This is only somewhat effective, because the allergen is only the
trigger to the problem and not the underlying cause.

Dr. Hosket says, "In conventional medicine, in
cases of allergies and autoimmune diseases the symptoms are treated.
The horse is given antihistamines 2 to 4 times a day orally or parenterally
[injection, for instance]. Or it is given steroids and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs daily. These are continued for as long as
the horse is showing the clinical signs, which in many cases, can
be the rest of the animal's life."

"Autoimmune disease," he explains, "is where
the horse's immune system reacts to part of its own body cells as
if the cells were foreign invaders. In a sense, the horse has an
allergic reaction to itself. This disease is much deeper acting
and more serious to the horse than the normal allergy. One example
is periodic ophthalmia or moon blindness. It is believed to be an
autoimmune disease. The body attacks the iris of the eye causing
severe inflammation and eventually synechiae, or adhesions of the
iris to the cornea and lens with loss of vision."

Homeopathic remedies offer the real potential
of decreasing this hypersensitivity, sometimes temporarily and sometimes
permanently. Homeopathic treatment can remove the underlying cause
for the allergic tendency and greatly reduce it or eliminate it
completely. Constitutional principles are very important, and under
the guidance of a classical veterinary homeopath, cure is quite
possible.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),
also known as heaves, is typically regarded as an allergic condition,
though there may be many causes - poor quality hay, a neglected
cough or cold, or overwork after a viral infection, to name a few.
In long-term cases, a crease develops along the horse's abdominal
muscles from the extra effort needed to force air through the respiratory
tract. Inflammation, coughing and nasal discharges may occur. Considered
incurable, COPD is often managed with cortisone-type suppressive
drugs, but the condition is never resolved that way. Herbs may control
the cough and other symptoms, but the underlying problem is not
addressed. COPD has been known to resolve itself, however, with
appropriate homeopathic care.

Dr. Hosket explains, "Chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, or heaves, is considered the body's overblown or allergic
reaction to inhaled allergens such as dust, mold spores or grass/hay
pollens. It results in impaired respiration and labored breathing.
The clinical signs of both diseases are due to inflammation. Without
proper treatment and often in spite of conventional treatment, the
inflammatory process continues until the lung is non-functional
and the horse is dead."

In horses, skin problems labeled as allergies
may be suppressed with drug therapy, but the underlying cause will
not be addressed. The skin affliction will surely return after the
drug therapy is stopped, or after the drug loses its effectiveness.
Skin problems, in particular, are just the tip of the iceberg; they
represent a larger problem inside. The body, in its attempts to
spare the vital internal organs, may push illness to the outside
of the body where it does less harm. The skin, being the largest
organ of the body, thus has more area to handle it! The frustrating
thing about skin problems is that because homeopathy's route of
cure is generally from the top to the bottom, and from the inside
out, the last part of the body to be healed will most likely be
the skin. Once the skin finally clears up, though, it may well be
the indication that all is well inside.

Dr. Hosket explains, "The goal is to cure the
horse. Homeopathy allows the animal's own vital force to restore
good health to that horse and in doing so the allergic symptoms
will disappear. In a cure, the remedy will no longer need to be
given and the animal will be in such a healthy state that it will
not react in an allergic manner again.

"One allergy case I had was a 2-year-old Quarter
Horse gelding that was stung on the nose by a bee. The nose was
swollen, hot and sore to the touch. This would be called an acute
allergic reaction conventionally. Homeopathically, I was equally
concerned that the horse did not want to drink, and would not eat.
He wanted to stay in the barn and hold his nose in the water bucket.
All these are important and point to a homeopathic remedy. The remedy
was given and within 20 minutes the swelling was gone. The animal
was eating and drinking and reacting with the other horses. The
swelling never came back. The gelding was cured."

He continues, "When a curative reaction is occurring,
the remedy is not repeated as long as it is acting. The horse should
be responding favorably with positive emotional and mental signs.
There may be an aggravation, a temporary worsening of an existing
physical symptom. The horse may itch a little more in an allergic
skin case yet overall the horse will be feeling better. If a new
symptom such as colic or depression appears after a remedy is given,
then the case is not going in a curative direction and must be re-evaluated
quickly."

Dr. Hosket cautions, "Since I try to practice
classical homeopathy I look at each horse as an individual and cannot
recommend remedies in a cookbook-type manner." Every horse is different.
An allergy is a complex, chronic condition that requires the guidance
of a veterinary homeopath when treating homeopathically. The
following list is for informational purposes only, and to assist
the owner in the skills of observation; a Materia Medica will provide
more detail . These are some useful remedies that have been
used with varying success in allergic conditions when correctly
chosen according to symptoms and cause:

Potentised allergen - a remedy made from one
of the specific allergens

Where a specific allergy is diagnosed and the
allergen has been identified, use of the homeopathically potentised
preparation of the allergen may be helpful for desensitization (sometimes
known as Allergens, 30c for example). Thus seasonal allergies can
be somewhat tamed by preventive doses prior to and during the sensitive
period. Although not a cure, the remedy can afford great relief.

Note: Lower potencies should be used for the
horse who has many allergies because the hypersensitive state sometimes
extends to homeopathic medicines too. They may experience a proving
of a higher-potency remedy.

Dr. Hosket says, "Homeopathy is effective in
all types of diseases, including allergic ones, when the particular
patient is matched with the correct remedy. There are several books
on remedies and repertories available to help find the right one
to use."

Scott Hosket, DVM, operates a mixed animal
practice for horses, pets, and farm animals in rural Ohio, where
he combines conventional and holistic medicine with a holistic emphasis
on homeopathy. He has even treated fish successfully with homeopathy!
Natural Horse Magazine thanks Dr. Scott Hosket for his valuable
assistance in preparing this article.

This is an informational article only. It is
not intended to replace veterinary diagnosis or treatment. Chronic
problems are best treated by a professional homeopath.

Pet allergies:

The symptoms and signs of allergies in dogs are
different from those found in cats. Many dogs suffer from atopy,
a possibly hereditary allergy characterized by symptoms such as
asthma, hives or other reactions to inhaled, contacted or ingested
allergens. These can be airborne pollens, grass mowings, house dust,
or foods, among others. Dogs typically get itchy skin and rashes
that usually erupt on the lower back near the base of the tail,
although they can occur anywhere and everywhere on the body. Also
noticed frequently are inflamed ears, excessive licking of the front
feet, digestive upsets, inflammation of the toes, and an irritated
anus or genitals. Other symptoms can occur as well. Some research
suggests that at least one-third of all allergies are caused by
substances in foods; therefore it is recommended to put the animal
on a natural diet.

Cats may have skin eruptions, too, which are
sometimes referred to as miliary dermatitis, but they are more prone
to cystitis (bladder inflammation) and digestive problems. Often
there is no visible skin rash, but the cat will apparently suffer
from stinging and biting sensations on the skin characterized by
behavior you might see when they're affected by fleas, such as sudden
jumping, excessive grooming and pulling out their fur in clumps.